Renewal programme for Mbare flats set in motion 

Source: Renewal programme for Mbare flats set in motion – herald

Theseus Shambare

A LOCAL development plan — a crucial first step in the ambitious Mbare Urban Renewal Programme — is being developed, raising expectations that the country’s oldest high-density suburb will soon get the much-needed facelift.

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said the plan will provide a holistic framework for the initiative.

“A comprehensive local development plan for the Mbare Renewal Programme will be developed, focusing on housing, infrastructure, commercial revitalisation and social amenities,” he said.

A technical steering committee comprising officials from the ministry, the Harare City Council and relevant stakeholders has since been established. This team has been instrumental in guiding the planning and implementation strategies for the Mbare Renewal Programme.

Furthermore, pilot works, including infrastructure assessments and detailed layout design reviews, have been initiated.

The ministry is also engaging with private sector players and development partners to secure the necessary financial and technical resources for the large-scale project through public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Minister Garwe underscored the ministry’s central role in coordinating and overseeing the entire renewal process.

“The ministry plays a central coordinating and oversight role in the Mbare Urban Renewal Project,” he said.

Its role includes policy guidance, facilitating planning approvals, ensuring intergovernmental coordination, mobilising resources and monitoring progress.

Minister Garwe emphasised the Government’s commitment to addressing immediate needs of residents while the long-term renewal plan takes shape.

“We are acutely aware of the dilapidated state of the Mbare bachelor flats,” he said, outlining interim measures such as routine inspections, essential repairs, intensified waste management campaigns and plans for pilot rehabilitative upgrades on select blocks.

Crucially, he said, the development of the local development plan has been informed by ongoing consultations with Mbare residents.

“Community engagement is at the heart of the Mbare Urban Renewal Programme,” Minister Garwe said.